March 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on

Monday a bid by 19 Republican-led states led by Alabama to block

five Democratic-led states from pursuing lawsuits accusing major

oil companies of deceiving the public about the role fossil

fuels have played in causing climate change.

The justices declined to hear a case that was filed directly

with the Supreme Court by Republican state attorneys general

that took aim at cases filed in various state courts against

companies including Exxon Mobil ( XOM ), Chevron ( CVX ),

ConocoPhillips ( COP ), Shell and BP. Those

lawsuits were filed by California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New

Jersey and Rhode Island.